Crib side drop



June l5 1934 H. w. NEUNHERZ Er AL 1,961,593

CRIB S IDE DROP Filed Jan. 22, 1934 JL A 'JM l J3. J l J/ 5i r la i j' ,gz ,7 J2 ff-i@ .7.345,1 JL

Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED ,STAT/Es" PATENT OFFICE CRIB sIDE DROP y Massachusetts Application January 22, 1934, Serial No. 707,630 4 claims. (o1. 5 100) y The principal objects of this invention are to provide a construction in which the side .of the cribcan be lowered at any time by moving a latch inwardly by means of the foot and to provide a construction in which the side will be held positively in raised position untzl the latch is tripped.

The construction also is of such a nature that it does not stick out in front or present any points in which the clothing is likely to get caught.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a crib constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a front view from the rear, showing the latch mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View through the lrod 21 of the foot frame and latch;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the latch on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation from the rear showing the change in the position of the parts caused by the movement of the side of the crib upwardly.

A crib of ordinary construction is shown having a pair of vertical rods 10 on which the front side 11 is adapted to move up and down. In Fig.

1 it is shown in its uppermost position which is the usual position.

It will be seen that the side of the crib is provided with a pair of brackets 12. Each bracket is formed of a piece of sheet metal split at the center near the top to provide two ears 13 and 14 through which the bracket is secured in position. The bracket extends downwardly and is provided with a horizontal rearwardly extending plate or shelf 15. It is split here and provided with an upwardly extending end 9 for a purpose to be described.

The frame 16 of the crib is provided on the underside 1'? with a pair of inverted U-shaped brackets 18 perforated at opposite sides and through them extend pivot pins 19 shown in the form of cotter pins. On these pins is pivoted a foot frame 20 which has two uprights at its ends and a bar 21 at the bottom which is riveted over the uprights and completes the frame. A spring 22 is wound around one of the pivot pins 19 and has one end fixed in the bracket above and the other end extends through a perforation in the upright 20 below. This spring therefore normally holds the frame in the front position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

Preferably on each of the uprights 20 is an outwardly extending ear 24, both in the same plane and located on the rear. On these ears are pivotally mounted latches 25 adapted to be held in and returned to operative position by springs 28. In the normal position the spring 22 holds the whole frame forward as far as it will go, that is, in the position where the uprights 20 Contact with the downwardly extending ange 27 of the frame 16. In this position the two latches 25 are located under the two plates 15 and the movable side 11 of the crib therefore is held up positively.

As so far described, it might be possible to let the side 11 down by pushing outwardly on it enough to cause brackets 12 to pass beyond the latch 25. To prevent this the end 9 is bent up from the end of the bracket 12 so as to extend in back of the downwardly extending flange 27 of the frame 16. This prevents such action obviously as the uprights 20 are positively stopped by the frame 16 and this end 9 prevents the side being forced outwardly.

When it is desired to drop the side, the bar 21 is pressed inwardly from the full line position to the dotted line position in Fig. 2. This can be done with the foot. The result of this is that the latches 25 pass beyond the ends of the plates 15 and there is nothing to support the latter. Therefore the front side of the crib drops to its lowermost position. Of course, after that, the frame, made up of the parts 20 and 21, swings back to the full line position in Fig. 2 by the action of the spring where the latches 25 are directly over the plates 15. When it is desired to raise the side of the crib, this is done by grasping it at the top and pulling it up. This action is indicated in Fig. 6, showing the ready upward swing of the spring latches 25. As soon as the plates l5 are above these latches the latches will be forced down by the springs 28 and will come back to the position shown in Fig. 3. The front side of the crib is then dropped so that these latches will hold it up as before.

This constitutes a very simple and convenient means for accomplishing the results above specified. The parts are all made of inexpensive metal shapes. The operation is so simple that anybody can easily learn to operate it.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. The combination with a crib having a slidable side and a frame having a downwardly extending ange at the side, of a bracket on said side, a movable frame depending from the said frame, a latch on said movable frame for engaging under the bracket normally to hold the side in elevated position, said movable frame being capable of being moved inwardly to move the latch from its supporting position and a bracket on said side having an upwardly extending part located back of said ange for the purpose described.

2. The combination with a crib having a vertically slidable side and a frame having a downwardly extending flange at the side, of a bracket on the bottom of said side, a movable frame depending from the bottom -of the crib, a spring latch on the second mentioned frame for engaging under the bracket normally to hold the side in elevated position, said movable frame being capable of swinging inwardly to move the latch from its supporting position whereby the side of the crib is deprived of its support and drops, and a bracket on said side having an upwardly extending part located back of said flange for the purpose described.

3. In a Crib, the combination with a frame and a vertically sliding side, of a bracket secured to the bottom of the side and projecting horizontally, a frame pivoted on a horizontal axis along the bottom of the crib and adapted to be swung backward, a latch pivoted on the end of the second mentioned frame on an axis transverse to the axis of the frame and adapted, when in lowest position, to receive on its top the said bracket and support the side therefrom, said pivoted frame being capable of swinging backward about its pivot to bring the latch beyond the rear of the bracket and release the side.

4. In a crib, the combination with a frame and a vertically sliding side, of a bracket secured to the bottom of the side and projecting horizontally, a frame pivoted on a horizontal axis along the bottom of the crib and having a spring for normally swinging it forward, and a latch on the end of the second mentioned frame adapted normally to receive on its top the said bracket and support the side therefrom, the latch being pivoted on one side and adapted to swing down into operative position when released and having means for holding it in horizontal position to support the bracket when thus swung down and being capable of swinging upwardly by the action of the bracket upon its lower side when the side of the crib is being raised.

HERBERT W. NEUNHERZ. GEORGE W. ATWOOD. 

